, 1887-12-07

provided for would have been the greatest
hcneht To the agricultural interests oi the
country, The bill was, however unrurtun.
ately defective, in TINT, as decided by the
comptroller - currency, II failed To make
an appropriation tO carry ont its provisions
In order to lessen the chances of this bin
being over loOkeda at the current session oi
congress, | would suggest that a memorial
be sent TO Washington requesting its re-
enactment lean furnish your committee
II copy Of the law if desired.
3rd There is very little doubt that the
Chinese restriction act IL being evaded by
numbers of those Objectionable people
crossing our northern boundary by land, or
arriving at different Puget SJnnd ports on
small sailing vessels, | mentioned these
facts In my report to the secretary OF the
interior, and recommended the amendment
OF the restriction act In the interest of
greater efficiency. A memorial from your
honorable body would receive greater ut.
tent,,oh than the report ofa single officer /,
believe, therefore, that the interests of
this )mnonwealth would be subserved by
such memorial
4th. The ultimate permanent emancipa.
tinh OF the people from the high freight
rates Will occur when the thousands Of
miles OF nayigable rivers fortunately pos
essed by the territory are opened to free
navigation, Congress has inaugurated the
process, but the work is slowly done on ac.
count OF the insufficient appropriations and
the excessive conservatism of the United
States engineers. | believe that q memorial
on this subject would, 10y showing the deep
interest felt in this subject by our people,
be OF much service in inducing the federal
government to be more liberal In the ap.
plication OF funds to this desirable end.
| can furnish your committee with much
valuable information ON this touic ii they
request it,
9th. The settlement of n large part of
this territory is retarded by the doubts that
exist in regard to laud titles by reason of
the Nhti", constructions placed upon the
itN- grnnlins lands to railway corporations.
y ma : eye view rom the summit Oi step
toes Butte, In Whitman county, will am
t'ld, disclose the limits OF the Northern Pa
CliiC railroad grant, 10y the line of Improve
ment The hishting effect Of placing large
areas Of the public domain under the con-
troll Of one man or OF one set of men is IL
lustrated in u striking manner by this OBJ
iect lesson. Not only are the lands that are
in dispute affected by the blight, but these
that are not in dispute are being held at
high prices for speculative purposes, to the
detri rinent both of the people and the stock
holders OF the railroad company. The
poorer people, for whom the public domain
was originally intended, are unable to take
these lands. and the railroad company is
deprived of the carriage of the products of
the soil, which would in a few years amount
to as much as the value of the land.
think 1t probable that when these lands are
made TO bear their proportion of taxes, the
disposition to hold them will not be so
strong. suggest that 1t would be proper
for your honorable body to use its influence
by memorial to congress on the side of some
speedy adjustment Of the question of titles.
The country Is interested in having the
clouds removed, in some way, at once.
In conclusion, gentlemen of the legisla-
turc beg u assure you of my hearty CO.
operation in the work now opened before
MS, and trust your honorable body will
be considerate enough to fix a reasonable
limit before the final adjournment, after
which no new business may be introduced,
so that this Office will be enabled to give
due attention to all matters laid before it.
We should all keep constantly in our
minds the motto, "rhe good of the people
is the supreme law" Very respectfully,
Your ohedient servant,
EUGENE SENrLE,
Governor.